Polysomnographic Sleep Tech - Casual

Aurora Health Care; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 48,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurora Health Care seeks a Sleep Technician to support comprehensive polysomnography studies. Responsibilities include setup, calibration, patient instruction, data collection, and artifact control to ensure high-quality sleep data.

The role emphasizes safety, accuracy, and collaboration with physicians to optimize patient care in a clinical sleep lab setting.

Qualifications

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and problem solving skills.
• Basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and calibrates equipment for sleep testing to determine proper functioning and signals.
• Assists with scoring sleep/wake stages and generates reports by tabulating data such as respiratory events and arousals.
• Implements interventions including CPAP/BIPAP and oxygen administration for patient safety and therapy.
• Performs polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality and removing artifacts.

Skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Basic computer skills

Education

Advanced training

Job description

• Prepares and calibrates equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and signals.
• Selects and applies special monitoring electrodes, bands, thermistors, and other monitoring probes to appropriate areas of the patient's body. Prepares positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fittings.
• Follows sleep procedures to establish and document baseline values such as body position, movements, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates.
• Assists with scoring sleep/wake stages and with the generation of accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.
• Implements appropriate interventions including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous (CPAP) and bi-level (BIPAP) positive airway pressure and oxygen administration.
• Assist with procedures and therapeutic interventions such as auto servo ventilation (SV) titrations, average volume assured pressure support (AVAPS), multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT), maintenance of wakefulness testing (MWT).
• Performs polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to recognize and eliminate all artifacts observed during the test.
• Follows wake procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires.
• Sets up video and audio monitoring apparatus. Keeps the equipment in clean operating condition, detecting instrument malfunctions, making minor adjustments, and reporting the need for major repairs. Monitors equipment supply levels and maintains appropriate equipment at hand.
• Schedules and discusses the test process with patients, ensures their knowledge of the process, and answers their questions. Educates physicians and patients on sleep medicines.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Major Responsibilities

• Prepares and calibrates equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and signals.
• Selects and applies special monitoring electrodes, bands, thermistors, and other monitoring probes to appropriate areas of the patient's body. Prepares positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fittings.
• Follows sleep procedures to establish and document baseline values such as body position, movements, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates.
• Assists with scoring sleep/wake stages and with the generation of accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.
• Implements appropriate interventions including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous (CPAP) and bi-level (BIPAP) positive airway pressure and oxygen administration.
• Assist with procedures and therapeutic interventions such as auto servo ventilation (SV) titrations, average volume assured pressure support (AVAPS), multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT), maintenance of wakefulness testing (MWT).
• Performs polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to recognize and eliminate all artifacts observed during the test.
• Follows wake procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires.
• Sets up video and audio monitoring apparatus. Keeps the equipment in clean operating condition, detecting instrument malfunctions, making minor adjustments, and reporting the need for major repairs. Monitors equipment supply levels and maintains appropriate equipment at hand.
• Schedules and discusses the test process with patients, ensures their knowledge of the process, and answers their questions. Educates physicians and patients on sleep medicines.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, And/or Certification Required

• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 30 days, and
• Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) registration issued by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) needs to be obtained within 3 years, or
• Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) certification issued by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) needs to be obtained within 3 years, or
• Registered Respiratory Therapist-Sleep Disorders Specialty (RRT-SDS) certification issued by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 3 years.

Education Required

• Advanced training beyond High School that includes the completion of an accredited or approved program.

Experience Required

• No experience required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and problem solving skills.
• Basic computer skills.

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

• May drive between sites therefore will be exposed to road hazards.
• Operates all equipment essential to performing the job.
• Must sit, stand, walk, lift, squat, and kneel throughout workday.
• Must be able to:
• lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist.
• lift up to 20 lbs. over the head.
• carry up to 40 lbs. a reasonable distance.
• Must be able to:
• push/pull with 30 lbs. of force.
• perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs. with a second person present.
• Exposed to mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards and thus protective clothing must be worn as necessary.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.